CASTLE HAYNE, N.C. – Gov. Bev Perdue will lead a town hall meeting on improving education and workforce development in North Carolina.  She will be joined by Dr. Scott Ralls, president of the North Carolina Community College System, and Dr. Bill Harrison, chairman and chief executive officer of the State Board of Education.
The hour-long discussion is open to [...]

Political wonks use phrases like “constant campaign” and “perpetual candidate” to describe the apparent need of office-holders to motivate the masses into pumping money into their war chests.
With members of the 111th Congress seated less than three months ago, some incumbents already are looking ahead to the next election.
Rep. Patrick McHenry, who represents North Caro-lina’s [...]

Winston-Salem Journal
Gov. Bev. Perdue made a good step toward helping the victims of North Carolina’s forced sterilization program when she included in her proposed budget $250,000 to start the process of providing financial compensation for them. Legislators should approve the allocation. And they should all also approve health-care benefits for the victims, as well as [...]

By WALT BELCHER
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
The TV sets in the White House may not be tuned to Fox News Channel, but the favorite channel of the previous administration is riding high in the age of Obama.
So far this year, the network with the “fair and balanced” motto has widened its lead over its 24-hour cable [...]

The ebbing influence of tobacco in North Carolina is headed for a new test in a state that remains the country’s largest tobacco grower.
     

WASHINGTON – Musicians Josh Groban, Wynton Marsalis and Linda Ronstadt are pressing Congress for more public funding for the arts.
The three were among arts advocates who testified before a House subcommittee Tuesday. Ronstadt tells the subcommittee she’s dismayed when school children can’t sing a song as simple as “Happy Birthday” in the correct pitch.
Funding for [...]

CNN reports that the first lady can help rebrand America as she travels to Europe with her husband.

Robert M. Gates, who worked last year as President George W. Bush’s defense secretary and the superintendent of the United States’ two wars, now has a role with President Obama.

WASHINGTON- House Democrats are outlining a plan to cut greenhouse gases by 20 percent over the next decade and 83 percent by mid-century.
But the draft proposal to be unveiled Tuesday leaves for future negotiations one of the most contentious issues: It does not say how pollution allowances would be distributed or whether they will be [...]